Feb 15 to Feb 16 there were 154 reported sexual assaults including rapes.

We were also informed, this included 32 attacks carried out by Uber drivers*.

*We've seen in the media that some attacks carried out by Uber drivers, who were not actually doing an Uber job offer, or were not signed on to the Uber platform, are placed outside the Uber drivers category !

We've also seen in the media that a licensed Private Hire driver convicted of rape, but because he was driving an unlicensed vehicle at the time of the attack, was classified as a fake taxi rather than a minicab related driver.

It makes you wonder, just how far these people at TfL will go to disguise the fact that rapes and sexual assaults by minicab drivers are "off the scale" and out of control.

Later in the year, we found that the stats given in the FOI request, came from just 6 of the 32 London Boroughs.

So, let's do the maths:

For the benefit of the doubters... let's level out and do the maths. (154 divided by 6 multiplied by 32... this should give us an approximation for the whole of GMPD)

So now we come to the realisation, there could be as many as 821 'reported' sexual assaults including rapes for the whole 32 London boroughs, Feb 15 to Feb 16.

Remember, these are just victims who have reported their attack to police.

Rape Crisis org and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, have previously told us, only 1 in 10 sexual assaults and rapes are actually reported.

(this has also been confirmed by the Met Police)

So now we could be looking at a figure closer to 8,210

8,210 sexual assaults including rapes, of passengers who thought they are being taken home safe, because the car was licensed by TfL and had TfL roundels showing.

No wonder TfL don't want this information to get out!

That's an average of 158 attacks a week

An average of 22 attacks every day.

How come TfL and the Met are keeping these shocking statistics from the public ?

Surely the Mayor has a duty of care to keep the public better informed about the dangers of getting in an unbooked Minicab ?

Public safety should be paramount.

This is what we already know.

The stats used were from the FOI request 2016020000642 given out by the Metropolitan Police covering the period from February 15 to February 16.

Moving on:

We've now been told that new stats available to TfL could show almost double the amount of attacks in just the first 6 months February 2016 to August 2016.

It's no wonder TfL don't want this information to get out.

Where is the media on this ?

These statistics should be all over the press.

Why are TfL keeping these statistics from the public ?

By not publicising these facts, are TfL libel... should a victim who's life has been shattered, wish to sue ?

Many in the Taxi trade believe that TfL are withholding these figures so they can manipulate the true total.

Many believe TfL will be holding back these stats until after Uber are relicensed next Spring.

If TfL and the Mayors office won't inform the public,

THEN WE WILL.

Taxi Leaks Extra Comment :

We are fighting evil in it's crudest form.

These alleged corrupt people within TFL are the worst type of people in society - If just one life is ruined because of their dedication to being sociopaths, it's one victim too many.

I personally couldn't live with myself if I thought I had contributed to an innocent person being put in harms way in the most vile way possible...

But then it's not me that has to wake up everyday, look in the mirror and ask myself what kind of person I am.

Mayor Khan is allowing TfL to destroy lives of Londoner's and worst of all... visitors to London, who he has a duty of care to protect.

On the World stage Khan is destined to be exposed and despised - He will never be able to blame anyone for his fate, as he is a self made man of conviction.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

As Mark Twain said 'if I don't read the papers I am uninformed, if I do I am misinformed'.

So let's be clear:

1. Uber drivers can still drive as little or as flexibly as they want as they are 'workers' not employees or truly self employed, don't let Uber or their backers in the media tell you anything different.

2. Any work they do do however accrues annual leave, sick pay and must be on the minimum wage when logged on and that's Uber's beef it will increase cost to treat people properly and destroys their 'Buck an hour' business model.

3. They cant work more than 48 hours and Uber will need to have some kind of monitoring, we already have TfL registered drivers living in Bradford driving down from the North then a 16 hour shift then driving back, unsafe at any level and exploitative.

4. Section 2.2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to have in place a safe system of work for their employers and (crucially) all those affected by it, Look out Uber

References to the 'gig' economy, flexible workplace etc are entirely bogus (the judgement was scathing about all that), this is about modern day slavery and a 'work around' of years of hard fought worker protection.

So forget the hype from the media cheerleaders, they said the same thing about the Old Age Pension and the formation of the NHS.

As for the Cab trade our battles continue about Ehailing and the need to have a parliament enquiry into TfL actions and inactions (I dont have time to list them all).

If your out and about remind those Uber riders that it's now clear their 'consumer choice' have facilitated exploitation and the undermining of lawful tax paying businesses, they don't like to hear it and the spilling of Fair Trade Organic Skinny Lattes in the back of the Prius has become an epidemic.

Let this be a lesson to us all, personal behaviour has consequences for society and let's keep up the pressure.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Talking to LBC’s Andrew Castle the former DWP minister said that the app was not competing on a a level playing field with London’s black cabs.

“In my view about this is that it is an unfair market. I've talked to a lot of black cab drivers. They are under huge restrictions, they have to have as special kind of car, they have to have a special space, they have to have disability ramps, they have top be above board, they have to pay all their tax.”

“I think for the most part they are pretty brilliant. The reality is that it is not a fair market , because the Uber lot don't do any of that.”

What's for sure, this verdict has exposed Uber and TfL for what we already knew they were.

The GMB took this action supported by other unions as it affects so many workers in the slave economy.

This judgement calls into question almost every decision TfL made in regards to Uber. It makes the 'Dear Jo' leaked emails an essential part of the inevitable parliamentary enquiry.

As we knew, this was not about technology, we heard all about that years before....this is about exploitation, predatory pricing, lobbying and more.

Defining plying for hire is the next vital safeguard!

We also need the 'pre booking' interval looked at and that exhibition of immediate availability of the screens dealt with as well.

I spent an enjoyable evening last night, asking Uber punters as they were getting in, or at the lights 'no doubt you're glad the driver's now getting sick and holiday pay, of course fares will rise but what's not to like?'

Should have seen the looks I got, give it a go, it does wonder for the soul.

They now know as riders, the exploitative nature of the whole thing. If Uber appeals, that's another PR own goal.

Personally, I think they will either cut and run or their backers will pull out.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Is political correctness or financial expediency to blame for the rape of our children in Rotherham and Rochdale?

It is accepted by most journalists that the reason Social Services and the South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester police forces refused to answer our children's cry for help, was a political one.

That mindset fits neatly into an acknowledged acceptance of extreme political bias.

But I believe the true reason was financial.

The government and local authorities refused to finance any means of support for those young victims.

Victims who were vulnerable, homeless and in care.

'Care' is a political oxymoron. Those in charge do not 'care'.

There is not enough money filtering its way down to children in 'care' to actually care for them.

Since Rochdale and Rotherham, we are hoping with bated breath that is the end of it. That similar horror stories do not erupt from Birmingham, West Midlands, Oxford, Reading, Nottingham, Sheffield or London.

And if our nightmares do come true, they will be hijacked and blamed on Political Correctness, by bigots and apologists alike.

Allowing those who hold the financial purse strings off the hook once again.

In London people are being raped and sexually assaulted at an alarming rate by unvetted and under-policed minicab drivers.

In Rotherham and Rochdale, licensed minicab drivers were heavily steeped in the abhorrent abuse carried out by gangs of depraved rapists.

Nationally eighty percent of all 'stranger' rape is committed by minicab drivers.

In London rape and sexual abuse of women and men is being allowed to continue, by the authorities, due again to financial reasons.

Our daughters are being auctioned off to aid the highest bidder.

Transport for London purports to be a non profit organisation, but like many non profit organisations the people at the top are doing extremely well thank you.

TfL have, on the orders of Number 10 and its owners Goldman Sachs, turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to rape and sexual abuse in licensed and unlicensed minicabs in London.

Uber came to London as the pathfinder for TTIP.

They seduced their way into obtaining an Operators License from an easily bought TfL, with the aid of feted, cajoled and lobbied MPs, including David Camerom PM, and Chancellor George Osborne.

Buying one of Her Majesty's MPs nowadays is sadly all too easy.

Since Uber rode into Dodge, in 2012, licensing regulations have been diluted and changed to meet Uber's requirements, not TfL's.

A lot of money has been invested in Uber, and bankers are not going to let ten rapes and sexual assaults every week get in the way of profits.

It may well be a case of Political Correctness, because the victims are mainly working class; but do not doubt that it is allowed to continue because of huge financial investments.

Most of the people playing God with our lives get a Licensed London Taxi or their chauffeur to take them to their Gentlemen's Club.

The bottom line for the financial elite is money.

The rich and powerful are sacrificing our daughters on the alter of greed.

If you read the argument in favour of the abolition of Cross Border Control by Baroness Kramer, its insignificant and self indulgent rhetoric plays only to a captive audience of careless people who have no grasp on the ramifications of their actions.

The likes of Addison Lee might have found the abolition of CBC to have been fortuitous, but those whose job it is to police minicabs in London have found it an impediment.

The abolition of CBC is an important aid to the would-be minicab rapist.

We in London have a relatively new Mayor and a new Prime Minister.

The Mayor has acknowledged the problem of London's unacceptable rate of rape and sexual abuse in minicabs, but apart from promises that adhere to no time-scale, we have seen no action to tackle this.

The Prime Minister seems, to the outside world, to have little or no concern for the plight of those ordinary people whom she supposedly serves.

Institutionalised rape is one of those categories, like child abuse and hate crime, where it is allowed to go unchecked until those who own the News can disregard it no longer and finally 'exclusively' inform the public.

Then nothing is done, except we are told that they (the authorities) will learn from this ... until the next time.

A Freedom of Information request has been tendered to the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London, asking how many rapes and sexual assaults have been perpetrated by Taxis, Private Hire minicabs, Uber and minicab touts.

Londoners are now being put in extreme danger, because TfL have refused to abide by the request, rescheduling the deadline for the FOI release each time the date for publication is imminent.

The Mayor of London seems to be complicit in this fiasco. And Number 10 seems to be selectively oblivious.

THEY DO NOT CARE!

Her Majesty's government, the Mayor of London's office, the Greater London Authority, the Metropolitan and City Police, most Members of Parliament and Lords, and your local authorities DO NOT CARE!

If anyone cared, really cared, they would have done something about this travesty.

Her Majesty's Government, local government, and police knew about Rotherham and Rochdale.

They are far too busy looking good, to be doing good.

They simply DID NOT AND DO NOT CARE!

We know that Her Majesty's Government, TfL, the Mayor's Office, the GLA, the Metropolitan and City Police know first hand about minicab rape in London.

They simply DO NOT CARE!

Since this FOI request was publish, we've now found out it covers just 6 of the 32 London boroughs.

Let's not forget, according to the Met Police only 10% of all sexual attacks are actually reported.

A tribunal has ruled that Uber drivers are not self-employed and so they are entitled to receive the national minimum wage and holiday pay.

The results of the case could have far-reaching consequences affecting thousands of other workers.

The GMB union took two test claims, arguing that Uber drivers should be entitled to a guaranteed minimum pay, breaks and holiday pay.

The union said the outcome of the tribunal case could have "major" implications for over 30,000 drivers across England and Wales, as well as other workers.

The case centered on whether or not the drivers were self-employed.

Uber had argued that its drivers were self-employed rather than designated employed workers, and maintained that it is a technology company rather than a taxi firm.

The company says it allows people to be their own boss and work flexibly, but the drivers who brought the legal challenge argued that the taxi app firm was acting unlawfully.

The test cases, brought by drivers James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam, argued that they should be entitled to the national minimum wage and holiday pay.

However, representatives for Uber, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, had said its drivers are not exclusively tied to working for the company, and have the freedom to also work for other operators.

Uber has previously argued that UK drivers should not be allowed to enforce UK employment rights in UK courts, and should only seek arbitration in Dutch courts.

Maria Ludkin, legal director at the GMB, said: "This case represents the first proper legal review of whether jobs in this part of the so called gig economy really represent a new paradigm of freedom and self-employment, or in fact are simply a new technology ploy to deny employed workers ordinary employment rights and a national minimum wage."